Rail-joint.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALXANDER RUSSELL, OF NOBLESTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,538, dated March 10, 1903 Application led Augustl, 1,902.

.To all whom, it 1v1/tty concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Noblestown, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in rail-joints, and relates more particularly to that classiwherein the use of nuts and bolts is entirely dispensed with.

The present invention has for its object-the provision of novel means whereby two sections of the rails may be securely clamped and retained together in proper positionu'pon the cross-ties; furthermore, to provide novel means that will permit the rails to be readily removed when desired.

My present invention further aims to Yprovide a novel form of locking means that will prevent the locking or wedge-shaped sh-plate from becoming loose.

A still further objectof my invention is to provide a device of the character described which will be extremely simple in construction, strong, durable, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and highly efficient in its use.

With the above and other objects 4in View the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In describing the inventionin detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure l is a perspective view showing my improved rail-joint applied to the meeting ends of the rails. Fig. 2-is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the locking fish-plate. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the plate or strip of metal that may be used in case there is an irregularity formed in the web of the rail.

In the drawings the reference-numeral 1 impossible.

represents the crosstie, upon which is secured,

serai n419302. on man.)

by means of spikes, 2, the plate 3, the latter having formed integral therewith a chair 4.

In said chair are secured the rails 5, which are held in position and are wedged therein by means of thelocking fish-,plate 6, said locking fish-plate having a bevel side 7, which engages the beveled inner face 8 of the chair, thereby` preventing the upward displacement of the same. This locking fish plate 6 is slightly beveled and is drawn in endwise ad-v jacent to the webs of the rails and thebevel side 8 of the chair. Inthe contracted end of the wedge-shaped plate are formed a series of apertures 9, which extend therethrough and -are adapted to receive the Cotter-pin lO, which forms a key or lock preventing the lineal displacement of the locking fish-plate. This cotter-pin has..v its ends turnedA outwardly and abuts against the wall of the chair. In the locking fish-plate is also formed a recess 1l, and a corresponding recess 12 is formed in theintegral portion of the chair extending against the web, flange, and tread of the rail.

Filler plates or strips are indicated by numeral 14 and are only employed in cases .the rail the same will be-more substantially braced and the spreading of the rails will be In order to remove the rails, the Cotter-pin isrst removed and the locking Iish-plate is i driven'in the opposite direction, when i'tmay be easily removed, thus permitting ready ac- 'cess to the rails.

It will be noted that thek rails will be permitted to expand and contract, and the chair is'also fastened in a manner to the cross-ties that will permit of expansion and contraction caused by the diife'rence in temperature.

It will be particularly noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

IOO

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rails, of a chair to receive said rails, a Wedgeshaped locking-plate of greater length than the said chair, said locking-plate being formed adjacent one of its ends and intermediate its sides with a series of openings, and alocking means arranged in one of the said openings.

2. The combination with the rails, of a chair, said chair having one of its inner faces inclined inwardlyfrom the base of the chair, a wedge-shaped locking-plate formed intermediate its sides withaseries of openings, said locking-plate having its outer edge inclined outwardly from its upper face, and engaging the inclined face of the said chair, and a locking means adapted to be received in any of the said openings, substantially as described.

43. In a rail-joint, the combination of the rails, a chair, a wedge-shaped fish-plate having a series of openings formed therein, fastening means extending through one of said openings, and filler-plates secured adjacent to said rails, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the rails, a chair, to receive the said rails, a locking -plate of greater length than the said chair, said 1ocking-plate being formed with a series of openings, and a locking means arranged in oneof the said openings and engaging one of the ends of the said chair, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the rails, of a chair to receive said rails, a locking-plate arranged in the said chair, said locking-plate having its inner face recessed, and a fillerplate arranged in the recess of the said locking-plate, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature Witnesses:

WILLIAM B. LYTLE, WILLIAM P. TAYLOR. 

